DALLAS - Sheetz will be honored as one of the 2012 Nation??s Restaurant News Golden Chain Award winners, Nation??s Restaurant News reports. The Golden Chain awards restaurant leaders "who are growing their companies with energy and optimism, producing strong results." Honorees will be given the award during the 53rd annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators Conference, to be held this fall in Dallas.

"It takes vision and confidence in your strategy to stay the course and prosper through changing and challenging times, and that??s what this year??s Golden Chain winners have been doing," said NRN publisher Randall Friedman. "We will be honoring these executives at MUFSO not only for their outstanding recent accomplishments but also for career achievements that have benefited our industry and the consumers we serve."

Sheetz Inc. is one of the country??s fastest-growing, family-owned convenience chains. "Today, with more than $5 billion in annual revenue, the chain has grown to 425 locations in six states," NRN said on its website.

Sheetz has plans to continue that growth, with the company opening between 25 and 30 new units annually. "We have not slowed down, and our food sales have been unusually strong," said CEO Stan Sheetz.